A can of shaving cream is a must-have product for a lot of men who regularly deal with facial hair. However, as necessary as it is, there are safety concerns attached to this type of product, such as “is shaving cream flammable?”
Such a worry is not baseless. But you need to understand what’s behind the danger coming with shaving cream and how to avoid unfortunate accidents. This article will provide you with all of this information.
Is Shaving Cream Flammable?
The short answer is Yes, shaving cream is flammable.
Isobutane is a highly flammable hydrocarbon gas. The fact that this chemical is present in shaving cream means the product can catch fire and explode if you are not careful.
Besides, isopentane is also extremely inflammable. It poses a high risk of explosion under pressure from heating.
There are several factors that increase the risk of explosion in shaving cream, such as improper seal and exposure to heat.
What Is Shaving Cream Made Of?
There are many ingredients forming shaving cream, and the specific list varies among different brands and different products. However, in general, most shaving cream products have the following ingredients:
- Palmitic acid: It’s an important ingredient in making soap, responsible for the thick, stable lather.
- Stearic acid, aloe barbadensis: They help soften your skin.
- Isopentane: It breaks down sebum and helps whiskers stand up so that the razor can work better.
- Sorbitol: It contributes to the shaving cream as a skin moisturizer.
- Polyvinyl pyrrolidone: PVP makes your facial hair stand up to help the razor cut your hair better.
- PEG 90M: It acts as a lubricant and a stabilizer in shaving cream.
- Isobutane: This is the most important ingredient to mention for the sake of this article. It’s a compressible aerosol propellant, helping the gel squirt out of the can. Isobutane is very flammable.
How To Prevent Shaving Cream From Catching Fire?
Because of how easy it is for a can of shaving cream to explode, handling it properly is essential to avoid dangers. Specifically, there are a number of things you need to keep in mind to prevent fire hazards with shaving cream.
Use Your Finger To Draw The Cover
When you shake a can of shaving cream or when it’s heated, there are bubbles rushing to the sides and the top of the can.
In this case, you just need to place a finger across the lid and wait for a few seconds. Also, tap the cover to disperse the bubbles. It will help prevent the can from exploding.
Throw Away Unused Cans
Whether the can ran out of shaving cream or it’s an old can that you no longer use, you need to discard it.
Letting old shaving cream cans lay around your house not only decreases the risk of fire but also helps you avoid using old cream, which may result in allergies and skin irritation.
Store The Shaving Cream Can Properly
You should always store shaving cream in an airy location, but avoid heat sources and direct sunlight. However, it’s not good to keep it in the bathroom, where there’s higher humidity and temperature than in other rooms.
Use A Dehumidifier
Prolonged exposure to humidity can cause shaving cream to heat up, raising the risk of explosion.
Therefore, wherever you store your shaving cream, there should be a dehumidifier. It’s a type of device created to remove excess moisture in a certain room, which will help you control the humidity at the appropriate level.
Check The Can Regularly
It’s best to check your can of shaving cream every time you use it. No matter how carefully you store the can, there’s always a likeliness that it gets rusty.
Therefore, check it frequently for signs of degradation. If the can condition gets worse, consider throwing it away to ensure safety.
Alternatives To Shaving Cream
If you decide to avoid the first risks altogether, there are several products you can use to shave in place of shaving cream. Here are the best options to take into consideration.
- Baby oil: Baby oil is a good lubricant that doubles as a moisturizer. It can be used instead of conventional shaving cream.
- Hair conditioner: It’s one of the easiest alternatives as it’s most likely available in your home. It can also be a lubricant to help you shave efficiently.
- Soap: Soap doesn’t moisturize your skin like baby oil, but it offers a lather that makes it easy to slide the razor on your skin. When you don’t want to use shaving cream, soap is an acceptable alternative.
- Lotion: This type of facial product lubricates your skin to assist in shaving like a hair conditioner. However, when using lotion, remember not to rub it in too much, or you will lose the protective layer between the razor and your skin.
It’s worth noting that these alternatives are not designated or optimized for shaving.
For example, a hair conditioner tends to soften your facial hair, meaning you may not get a clean shave like with shaving cream. On the other hand, soap seems great for shaving, but it may dry out your skin, so you need an extra step to moisturize it.
Final Thoughts
There is a highly flammable compound in shaving cream, isobutane, making it possible for the product to explode. With that in mind, hopefully, you have got the answer to your question, “is shaving cream flammable?”
The good news is, as long as you handle your can of shaving cream with utmost carefulness, you can safely store this type of foam. Remember to seal the can well after use, discard the unused can, and regulate the humidity where it’s stored.
